Posts Tagged ‘ADA’

Article by: Attorney Christine Nentwig It has become increasingly common to see people accompanied by service or assistance animals in public places, including restaurants, shopping malls and airports.  Most service or assistance animals and the disabled individuals they serve are subject to broad protections with respect to both access to public places and housing under several federal (and many state) statutes. Service Animals and the Law The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies only to service dogs (and in some cases miniature horses) who have been trained to perform specific work or tasks for disabled persons.  The provision of emotional support, comfort,… read more »

On August 30, 3019, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit handed CGA client George Matheis a significant victory in a case where he had been unlawfully barred from a plasma donation facility based on his use of a service dog. Mr. Matheis is represented by CGA attorney Zachary E. Nahass. While the anti-discrimination provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) explicitly apply to businesses such as laundromats, dry-cleaners, banks, barbershops, beauty shops, travel services, shoe repair services, funeral parlors, gas stations, offices of accountants, lawyers and other professionals, pharmacies, insurance offices, health care facilities, hospitals,… read more »

Article from the October 2019 Issue of the Pennsylvania Observer “So a man and a dog walk into a bar … ” What might sound to some like the start of an old­fashioned bar joke is no laughing matter for those with disabilities or the businesses required to accommodate them. Assistance animals are becoming increasingly common and may be referred to by varying terms, such as service animals, therapy animals, and emotional support animals. The extent to which assistance animals are protected legally varies depending upon the animal’s purpose, species and training. Unfortunately, navigating these legal protections can be challenging,… read more »

Attorney Zachary Nahass represented a retired police officer who had been the victim of unlawful discrimination when a plasma donation facility prevented him from donating due to his use of a service dog. Zach secured a favorable decision in federal court from the United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals by persuading it that a plasma donation facility is subject to the regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Third Circuit both affirmed and reversed in part the earlier decision of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, which had granted summary judgment in favor of the… read more »